The Consortium for Prosecco DOCG and Vitis Rauscedo project: multiplication of centenarian vines

The 100 + year-old vines are a historical but also biological and ampelographic heritage; they are rare specimens in Italy and in the world, and an invaluable treasure that must be protected. This is the path that the Consortium for the Protection of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco together with the Vitis Rauscedo nursery company has chosen for their project, explaining, “the goal is to preserve and enhance the viticulture heritage of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene district, serving to stimulate excellent viticulture, and promote the project of multiplying centenarian vines, which began a few years ago”.
The Consortium has already identified 26 genotypes coming from 200 centenary vines on the territory of the Denomination (in particular, from the localities of Rua di Feletto, Refrontolo, Solighetto, Col San Martino, Guia, Santo Stefano, Cartizze, San Pietro di Barbozza, Saccol and Valdobbiadene) and aims to obtain a selection of 10 clones that have the typical characteristics of the Glera variety, as well as maintain and consolidate, over time, the uniqueness of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG sparkling wine.
The selection process was started several years ago, collecting and propagating the gems of old vine stocks, and will continue following the procedure of the protocol established by the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies for the Consortium’s approval of the genotypes selected.
The Consortium will work with the Vitis Rauscedo nursery in all the stages directed at completing the approval procedure over the next six to seven years. The activity will focus on characterization in the field and virology testing to certify the health of the selected materials, up to the oenological evaluation after microvinification of the grapes produced by the so-called clones.
The focus of the project is commercial, but it is also culturally interesting for the Conegliano Valdobbiadene district, where the Prosecco phenomenon was created, and it aims to preserve and enhance its history, with an eye to the future.